Roca at UIA 2026: Prefab Bathrooms, 10,000 Architects, and a Home Game in Barcelona

TL;DR: Barcelona was the World Capital of Architecture in 2026, and Roca — the city’s homegrown brand — stepped up as the main partner for the UIA World Congress. They brought prefabricated bathroom pods, hosted a Design Day with UNStudio, and ran a casual exchange event for Chinese architects. Next stop: Beijing 2029.

Roca at UIA: Home Turf, No Gimmicks

The UIA World Congress landed in Barcelona this year, running from June 28 to July 2. Over 10,000 architects from 130+ countries showed up. Roca, founded in Barcelona in 1917, took the lead sponsor role — which, given the location, made perfect sense.

The congress theme was “Becoming: Architectures for a Planet in Transition” — essentially a umbrella for sustainability, technology, and ecological shifts in the building industry. Roca’s exhibition aligned with that direction, and they didn’t waste the opportunity.

Roca exhibition space at the CCIB venue during UIA 2026 Barcelona.Photo: Courtesy of Roca.

The Main Event: Prefab Bathroom Pods

The centerpiece of Roca’s booth was their Industry 4.0 prefabricated bathroom modules. In short: they build entire bathrooms — structure, plumbing, electrical, tiles, fixtures — in a factory, then ship them to site for installation.

The practical benefits:

• shorter on-site construction time

• reduced material waste through factory precision

• fewer trades to coordinate during installation

The modules are customizable in size, layout, materials, and finishes, and they work across residential, hospitality, and healthcare projects.

Marc Viardot, Roca Group’s Corporate Marketing and Design Director, commented: “Modular construction is accelerating the implementation of innovations across the built environment.” In this case, the statement holds up.

Roca’s Industry 4.0 prefabricated bathroom module – fully assembled in factory and ready for on-site installation.

Design Day: A Conversation on Modular Building

On June 29 and 30, Roca hosted a Design Day at their Barcelona Gallery. The session featured Marianthi Tatari and Ren Yee from UNStudio, who walked through how modular construction enables more efficient and sustainable building practices. The underlying point: bathrooms are not an afterthought — they can be regenerative spaces that contribute to occupant health.

At Roca Design Day 2026, conversations centred on spaces – like bathrooms – that can improve everyday experience. Photo: Courtesy of Roca.

Bridging Design: Roca Meets Chinese Architects

Roca also organized a smaller event called “Bridging Design”, bringing together a group of architects from major Chinese design firms. The format was informal — drinks, conversation, a walk through the gallery. No hard sell, just an opportunity for peer exchange.

Next: Beijing 2029

The UIA Congress rotates every three years. The next host city is already confirmed: Beijing in 2029. The theme will be “Returning to Balance: Building a Better Life for Everyone”.

Roca has confirmed their participation and plans to continue showcasing industrial prefab technology, water-saving innovations, and circular design concepts. The next time around, they’ll be playing on Chinese soil.